Jaded Power
by Vodid
Summary: The Crystal Gems explore the Kindergarten, suspecting it will reactivate. Instead of finding running injectors and gems popping out from the walls, they find a new gem. She has unimaginable power, rank and gemstone. She is a long-lost friend and a forbidden gem. She needs to earn the trust of the Crystal Gems, for she was banned from Earth once she was made an Elite Gem.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe.**

 **Chapter One**

Four gems were inspecting a vast canyon with odd holes in the walls. The two tallest were looking at the large robotic bacteriophage. The gem with a pearl embedded in her forehead stepped forward and knocked on the deactivated bacteriophage's tail fibers, she waited a moment. The purple gem stepped forward, "See, Pearl? I told you there's nothing to be worried about."

Pearl freaked out, she wanted to ramble about how it might activate soon. She desperately turned to Garnet, "What do you think Garnet?"

The tallest out of the four gems, Garnet had her arms crossed, her mouth was in a slanted line, thinking. The three other gems looked at her, expectantly. She shrugged. "Hmm, I don't know Pearl, looks pretty safe to me."

The shortest of the gems tugged on Pearl's skirt, "Pearl," He called to her, Pearl looked down at him, "It's okay."

They looked back to the bacteriophage, "Injectors are highly dangerous, why can't we just destroy them?"

"There are far too many, and they can endure anything." Garnet frowned at the injector, it was covered in dirt and grime.

The young gem standing beside Pearl jumped up and down excitedly, "Come on, guys! Let's go! Race you, Amethyst!" He ran off. "Hey Steven, wait up!" The purple gem laughed after him.

"It's now or never, Pearl." Garnet smirked before jumping off, after the two gems that ran ahead. Pearl settled for a fast-paced walk.

The canyon was quiet. A light breeze wove it's way through the opening of it. Pearl looked at the injectors, a worried look on her face. She scanned the area, only seeing the holes of gems who were born here long ago. She kept walking. Pearl stopped abruptly as she felt a harsh wind strike across her back, she shivered before going frozen again. She slowly turned her head around, seeing nothing, she slowly turned it back. Her pupils were but a pinprick, yet full of confusion. She began walking again.

A much more powerful push knocked Pearl to the ground, catching her off guard. A faint laugh echoed through the canyon, bouncing off each and every object. Dazed, Pearl stood up. She was now scared. One of the Crystal Gems wouldn't do this to her, nor make that kind of laugh. Pearl began walking, again. _Faster_.

"Hey, Garnet? When is Pearl going to get here?" Steven looked at the gem. The purple gem butted in, "Yeah, she's such a slow-poke. But she should have been here by now." She groaned. Garnet shrugged.

The three gems stared back the way they came from, awaiting Pearl's arrival. A really faint laugh echoed through, the purple gem made a frown, "What was that?"

Next came Pearl's agonized cry, also echoed through the canyon. "Amethyst, Steven, stay here." Garnet said before jumping off, heading towards Pearl in a rush.

Garnet landed behind an injector, wary of her surroundings. Pearl was on all fours, her spear just a few feet away from her reach. She looked beat up in the few moments that have passed. A dark figure loomed over her, it was large and had glowing green eyes.

The shape finally came into view, it had incredibly green scales reflecting light. It had a long neck, housing a head with four lighter green horns, rich green eyes and a long snout with small white whiskers sprouting out from it's cheeks and chin. It's spine was covered in a small layer of white fur. It's body was long and slim, wings came out from it's back. It had four limbs, two front, two back. A long tail topped it all off.

This was a dragon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe.**

 **Chapter Two**

Garnet activated her gauntlets, ready to fight the beast that loomed over the fallen Pearl. The large dragon stared down at Pearl before hitting her with it's tail and causing Pearl to retreat into her gem. Garnet frowned.

The injector Garnet was accidentally leaning on started to creak, alerting the dragon of her presence. _It's now or never_ , the gem thought in her head.

The beast came towards her in a roar of fury, it sounded like a lion roar mixed with a hawk screech. It was majestic. But Garnet would have none of it. She jumped forward, aiming for the dragon's head, it swiftly turned around and hit Garnet with it's tail before she even came close. It roared again.

"Amethyst, did you hear that?" Steven looked worriedly at the purple gem. She was astonished too. "...Maybe we should check on Garnet...?" Amethyst said hesitantly, the leader gem may need their help. They both nodded when they heard the second roar. The two short gems ran as fast as they could back through the canyon.

Garnet kept fighting with all her might, but no matter how much she tried, she always ended up down. It frustrated her. Greatly. The dragon was done too, it wanted to end this. Garnet aimed for the beast's head once more, this time it grabbed the gem in it's mouth, and snapped it close.

Seconds later, two gems were spat out of the dragon's mouth. A red and blue gem. Garnet had retreated back into her gems. She was defeated along with Pearl.

Amethyst and Steven arrived at the scene. The dragon threw up it's head and roared. They saw the three gems lying on the ground beneath the large animal. Amethyst put her hand over Steven's mouth before he could make any noise. Steven tripped on a pebble as she dragged him into one of the many carved holes in the canyon walls behind the injector. They watched.

The dragon stopped roaring and looked over to where it heard the pebble. Nothing. It continued to watch. Nothing. It looked down at the three gems. All different and odd colors. It looked at the blue and red gems, it was a fusion.

Moments later of silence, the dragon morphed into a human-shaped being, just like the Crystal Gems. It picked up all three of the gems and held them gently in it's hands.

The human-shaped gem looked female, as they all do. Her skin was a soft green while her hair was white and in a long braid, at the end of her braid was a small white flower with five petals. Her clothing was a classic cheongsam top Chinese green robe with white lace accents instead of black. Her skirt was also white and incredibly short. Between the skirt and shirt, she had a wide elastic mint-colored waistband. Although she looked Chinese, her eyes were no where near looking Chinese. Her eyes held her two gems. Green and luscious.

She took a few steps toward the injector where Steven and Amethyst lie. She spoke perfect English, "I know you two are there." The hiding gems took silent sharp intakes of breath, "I will not hurt you." She then giggled, "I'm getting a little bored of fighting. Also, here are your friends. If you want them, come out."

Amethyst hesitantly stepped out, leaving Steven there. "I meant both of you." The green gem added. Steven stepped out without Amethyst's command. The green gem was rather close to the injector, and the two gems. She held out her cuffed hands that housed the three retreated gems. "Here. Your friends."

The purple gem stepped forward, trying not to show her fear. As if she were hit in the head with a brick, Amethyst flinched. She recognized this gem.

"Jade?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Small note: Jade's weapon is the dragon.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe.**

 **Chapter Three**

The green gem giggled, "Hey Amethyst, long time no see."

"I thought you were gone after the Kindergarten shut down!" Amethyst smiled, seeing her friend again.

Jade shrugged. Steven butted in, panicking, "A-Amethyst, what's going on? I'm confused. Who is this?"

" _This_ , is Jade. She was born here with me in the Kindergarten. Except she was sent off to our home world after this place deactivated. She was made an Elite Gem, the most _powerful_ gems existing. But then she ran away. Jade still holds that rank. And being Elite is the highest rank you can get!" Amethyst bragged for her friend, even though it was a little unnecessary when she could have simply explained. Jade nodded in response.

"So, are you a good gem?" Steven hesitantly asked.

The green gem smiled at the young boy, "Of course I am. I never really liked our home world, which was why I ran. I was great friends with Amethyst, and before I was sent off, I knew Pearl, Garnet and even your mother incredibly well." She looked down at her hands, still holding the gems. She offered them to the purple gem, but Amethyst denied. "You should carry them back. I don't think I can."

The three gems walked back to the warp pad. "The injectors won't reactivated for another four thousand years. I've learned that they were purposely shut off for ten thousand years, no one knows who or why they did it though." They reached the warp pad.

Steven had the honor of warping them three. He held his outstretched arms horizontally and focused. The warp pad activated and the three gems were at the temple. Jade sighed, "So, this is the temple? Very different from when I was here." The green gem was looking at the house that was built off of the temple. Amethyst tapped her shoulder to turn her around to face the actual temple. She smiled, "Oh."

Jade became settled on the couch. Amethyst was too. The three retreated gems on a pillow with Steven sitting next to them. He had time to study the green gem that sat in front of him. Something must have clicked in that little mind of his. "You have two gems." Steven stated out loud, "Does that mean you're a fusion, like Garnet?"

"Ah, yes, I have two gems, but even I don't know if I'm a fusion. I've never retreated back into my gems, so I wouldn't know."

Steven just cocked his head with a confused look, "How do you not know if you're a fusion?"

Jade shrugged. "I've just been like this since forever."

"Have they figured out that you've ran away?" Amethyst looked at Jade's marking on her arms, which meant she was an Elite.

"I left a lie with them. I'm pretty sure they took it. I've been gone from that place for centuries without a problem." The green gem stood and looked out the window, it was dark outside already. She saw the bits and pieces from Jasper's warship. "She came after you didn't she?"

"Who, Jasper?" Steven looked over to Jade, she didn't respond. "Peridot reported us, so Jasper appeared."

"Ah, yes, Peridot. We were good friends once. We trained together at our home world. Peridot and I did everything together, until she changed when she met Jasper. Those two became acquaintances, I guess. I don't know, I haven't really seen Peridot since she turned her back on me.

"Through Peridot, I learned that Jasper is much more powerful than her. Peridot seems to like to hang with powerful gems, since herself's not much of a powerful gem. She relies too much on others." Jade snickered, "Jasper isn't even an Elite, and I don't think she will be for a long time now for her failure."

Interrupting their conversation, the three gems on the cushion glowed, getting ready to reform as gems.


End file.
